Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 5g vs Google Pixel 8: SAR comparison

The Google Pixel 8 lists the lower head sar, cellular only (us): 1.05 W/kg vs 1.09 W/kg for the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 5g (4% lower). Reported SAR values in W/kg; lower is shaded green and higher red within each row, for comparison only.

Open in interactive SAR Compare Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 5g details Google Pixel 8 details

Side-by-side SAR values

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 5g vs Google Pixel 8 reported SAR and specs
Measurement	Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 5g	Google Pixel 8
Head SAR, cellular only (US)	1.09 W/kg	1.05 W/kg
Body SAR, cellular only (US)	1.19 W/kg	0.99 W/kg
Head SAR, Wi-Fi + cellular (US)	1.59 W/kg	1.59 W/kg
Body SAR, Wi-Fi + cellular (US)	1.57 W/kg	1.59 W/kg
Hotspot SAR, cellular only (US)	1.19 W/kg	0.85 W/kg
Hotspot SAR, Wi-Fi + cellular (US)	1.56 W/kg	1.59 W/kg
Display: Type	Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 2600 nits (peak)	OLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1400 nits (HBM), 2000 nits (peak)
Display: Size	6.9 inches, 115.9 cm2 (~90.7% screen-to-body ratio)	6.2 inches, 91.1 cm2 (~85.5% screen-to-body ratio)
Display: Resolution	1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~500 ppi density)	1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~428 ppi density)
Display: Protection	Corning Gorilla Armor 2, Mohs level 6	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Hardware: Operating System	Android 16, up to 7 major Android upgrades, One UI 8.5	Android 14
Hardware: Chipset	Qualcomm SM8850-AC Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (3 nm)	Google Tensor G3 (4 nm)
Hardware: CPU	Octa-core (2x4.74 GHz Oryon V3 Phoenix L + 6x3.62 GHz Oryon V3 Phoenix M)	Nona-core (1x3.0 GHz Cortex-X3 & 4x2.45 GHz Cortex-A715 & 4x2.15 GHz Cortex-A510)
Hardware: GPU	Adreno 840	Immortalis-G715s MC10
Battery: Type	Li-Ion 5000 mAh	Li-Ion 4575 mAh, non-removable
Battery: Charging	60W wired, PD3.0, 75% in 30 min 25W wireless (Qi2.2) 4.5W reverse wireless	27W wired, PD3.0, PPS, 50% in 30 min (advertised) 18W wireless Reverse wireless
Design: Type	Bar	Bar
Design: Dimensions	163.6 x 78.1 x 7.9 mm (6.44 x 3.07 x 0.31 in)	150.5 x 70.8 x 8.9 mm (5.93 x 2.79 x 0.35 in)
Design: Weight	214 g (7.55 oz)	187 g (6.60 oz)
Design: Colors	Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, Black, White, Silver Shadow, Pink Gold	Obsidian, Hazel, Rose, Mint

Colors make differences within the same measurement easy to see. They do not label a phone safe or unsafe. US values use 1 g of tissue and the 1.6 W/kg limit; EU values use 10 g and 2 W/kg, so don't mix them. What SAR tells you.

Questions and answers

Which has lower head SAR, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 5g or the Google Pixel 8?

The Google Pixel 8 lists the lower head sar, cellular only (us): 1.05 W/kg vs 1.09 W/kg for the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 5g (4% lower). Values are reported maximums from FCC filings as listed in the RF Safe dataset, in W/kg averaged over 1 gram of tissue.

Which has lower body SAR, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 5g or the Google Pixel 8?

The Google Pixel 8 lists the lower body sar, cellular only (us): 0.99 W/kg vs 1.19 W/kg for the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 5g (17% lower). Values are reported maximums from FCC filings as listed in the RF Safe dataset, in W/kg averaged over 1 gram of tissue.

Which has lower hotspot SAR (Wi-Fi + cellular), the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 5g or the Google Pixel 8?

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 5g lists the lower hotspot sar, wi-fi + cellular (us): 1.56 W/kg vs 1.59 W/kg for the Google Pixel 8 (2% lower). Values are reported maximums from FCC filings as listed in the RF Safe dataset, in W/kg averaged over 1 gram of tissue.

What is the highest reported SAR value for each phone?

Across the six US measurements, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 5g's highest listed value is 1.59 W/kg and the Google Pixel 8's is 1.59 W/kg. The FCC limit for the head and body is 1.6 W/kg averaged over 1 gram. Wi-Fi + cellular values are simultaneous-transmission sums and are evaluated differently, so read each row on its own.

Does a lower SAR mean a phone is safer?

No. SAR is a lab compliance measurement taken at maximum power. Everyday exposure depends on signal strength, distance from the body and which radios are active. Use SAR to compare phones, not as a health score.

Where do these numbers come from?

From the RF Safe SAR dataset, compiled from FCC equipment authorization filings (FCC ID A3LSMS948U and A4RGKWS6). Nothing on this page is estimated.

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